Napa and Guadalupe Valley winemakers meet to build closer ties

TIJUANA.- The Baja California state government, through its Tourism Ministry (SECTURE in Spanish), has set out on creating ties between the Napa Sonoma Mexican-American Vintners Association, or NSMAVA, and the Ejido El Porvenir Vintners Association in Baja, with the aim of establishing a cultural and commercial relationship between winemakers on both sides of the border.

The closer ties began during a meeting held in the Valle de Guadalupe wine region in Baja, and attended by the head of SECTURE, Óscar Escobedo Carignan; the SECTURE International Affairs Director, Mariano Escobedo Lavin; NSMAVA President, Rafael Rios, as well as his Vice-president, Hugo Maldonado.

Escobedo Carignan detailed some of the most notable deals reached by the meeting, including one where the Ejido EL Porvenir Vintners Association will write a work proposal together with the NSMAVA that will be developed through short, medium and long-term actions in both countries.

"NSMAVA will analyze with their associates the more viable joint work option that can be done by both parts and we will work together to make them happen, besides also carrying out coordinated events aimed at incentivizing cultural and commercial exchange", said Escobedo Carignan.

The tourism minister highlighted that Baja California Governor "Kiko" Vega believes that it is of vital importance to provide commercial competitiveness to the Guadalupe Valley wine region, where the quality of wines is recognized both at a national and international level.

It was through a tour by official from both SECTURE and the International Affairs Office of Napa Valley that the idea to unite Mexican winemakers in both Baja and Northern California first came to light, and after officials showed just how much the Baja wine industry has grown in these last few years.

"Besides also addressing some common challenges, we also talked about wine making techniques from local producers, the trade relationship they have with other markets and took the opportunity to take a tour through some wineries and the Vine and Wine Museum", noted Escobedo Carignan.